What States, If Any, Will Legalize Online Sports Betting in 2026?

• With Missouri’s online sports betting launch this week, do any states have a chance to legalize in 2026?
• A number of states will again discuss sports betting legalization in the next year
• Several states came close to legalization in 2025

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Missouri successfully launched its sports betting market earlier this week, becoming the 39th state in the country to offer some form of legalized sports betting.

However, Missouri was the only state to launch sports betting in 2025, and could possibly be the last state launch the sports betting industry sees in the next year. Lawmakers will continue to discuss legalization, but there seems to be few clear state paths to legalization in the new year.

Sports Betting Dime evaluated the legalization chances for all remaining states with no legalized online sports betting. Sorry, but it may be a bleak year moving forward.

So, You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance?

While every legislative session is different than the last, the following states seem like they are the odds on favorite to potentially legalize online sports betting in 2026.

Hawaii: Likely the favorite to legalize online sports betting in 2026 out of the remaining states without an online sports betting market. Both the Hawaii Senate and House passed versions of Rep. Daniel Holt’s bill, HB 1308,  to legalize Hawaii sports betting earlier this year. However, key amendments to the bill led to a required conference committee, which did not lead to a consensus between the House and Senate for approval. .

Holt’s bill allowed at least four online sports betting licenses to be awarded to operators in the state. The likeliest reason the bill failed? A fundamental disagreement between the House and Senate on the legislation’s proposed tax rate and licensing fees.

Hawaii legislators did say the issue would be discussed again in 2026, but lawmakers will have to reach an agreement on tax rates and licensing fees for anything to be approved.

Verdict: Likeliest state to legalize online sports betting in 2026, but disagreements on structure still remain.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin lawmakers discussed online sports betting legalization in the state up until just two weeks ago, with Rep. Tyler August’s (R-31) bill, AB 601, gaining serious momentum.

Assembly Majority Leader August’s bill – and Senate counterpart bill SB 592 – seeks to legalize Wisconsin online sports betting for state tribes through a hub-and-spoke system, which has seen early support from legislators. If approved, the bill will allow tribes to renegotiate gaming compacts to offer online sports betting through their own platforms or through partnerships with sports betting companies. The renegotiated compacts will have to also be approved by the federal government.

The bill was pulled from a scheduled Assembly vote in late November, with August confirming that it will be discussed again in 2026. August reported if the bill had been voted on during the Assembly session, it likely would have passed.

“There’s no rush on this. The Senate is not coming back this week. I had a conversation with a couple of members over the weekend that brought up some points I hadn’t considered yet. So, we’re going to work through those and I expect we’ll be voting on it early next year,” August said.

Due to the bills legalizing Wisconsin online sports betting through the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) – similar to how the Seminole Tribe in Florida legalized online sports betting – sports betting operators will be required to provide tribes with at least 60% of their revenues. This revenue sharing model may not prove appetizing to the largest online sports betting companies, who may not find it worthwhile to do business in the state.

Several lawmakers have also questioned the bills’ legalization method, and if it runs afoul of the Wisconsin constitution.

Verdict: Work remains on making the state appetizing for the major sports betting operators, but Wisconsin is the second likeliest to legalize online sports betting in 2026.

Hope is a Dangerous Thing

Oklahoma: Oklahoma state tribes want legalized sports betting, the Oklahoma governor wants legalized sports betting, the Oklahoma Thunder wants legalized sports betting, so what’s stopping the state from getting something done?

The problem, it seems, is each of these groups has a different vision for how Oklahoma should offer online sports betting to the public.

In 2025, the Oklahoma House of Representatives approved Rep. Ken Luttrell’s (R-37) two sports betting bills, HB 1047 and HB 1101, both of which would have enabled Oklahoma tribes to amend their gaming compacts to allow in-person and online sports betting on tribal lands only. The legislation, however, died on the final day of the state’s session in May, awaiting a third reading in the Senate that never came.

The likeliest reason for their failure? Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) made it no secret he was not a fan of the sports betting bills The governor did not support legislation that provided Oklahoma tribes with exclusive control over sports betting, instead favoring a “free market solution” for the state.

Oklahoma is again exploring its sports betting options for 2026. Sen. Bill Coleman (R-10) recently hosted the legislature’s first-ever interim study on sports betting through the Senate Business and Insurance Committee, said legalization discussions will continue in 2026. Oklahoma City Thunder Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Will Syring, who attended the sports betting study, said the Thunder support legalized sports betting and hope to play a primary role in its legalization.

Verdict: Powerful groups all want legalized Oklahoma sports betting, but differing opinions on who should have exclusive sports betting authority make legalization difficult.

Minnesota: Minnesota came oh so close to legalizing sports betting in 2024, but efforts regressed considerably in 2025. What’s on the horizon in 2026?

Minnesota lawmakers are all but guaranteed to discuss the legalization of sports betting in the new year, as they’ve done almost every single year since 2019. But, while several sports betting bills were introduced in the 2025 session, none came close to approval.

The tone for legalization was set early on in the 2025 session. Sen. Matt Klein’s (DFL-53) bill, SF 757, a promising bill to legalize retail and online sports betting for the state’s 11 Native American Tribes, did not move out the state and local government committee in February. It was a huge blow, as the legislation was killed in its first committee stop.

Lawmakers came into the 2025 sessions with an agreement in place between the state tribes, charitable organizations, and professional sports teams to legalize sports betting, but it remains to be seen if that compromise will exist moving into 2026.

One piece of good news for legalization efforts? Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-35A) in September was elected as the Minnesota House DFL Caucus Leader. Stephenson is a proponent of sports betting and has introduced a number of sports betting bills.

Verdict: Momentum for legalization may be lost in 2026, but new DFL leadership may provide spark.

Georgia: Georgia, sweet Georgia. Georgia lawmakers have discussed sports bettering for the last five years and will likely do so again in 2026, but the issue may no longer be a priority for those in the House and Senate.

Serious legalization efforts were never considered in 2025, and hope may be dwindling as one of Georgia’s largest supporters of legalized gambling unexpectedly resigned from the House of Representatives this past summer.

In 2025, Rep. Marcus Wiedower’s introduced two sports betting bills, HR 450 and HB 686, both of which never reached the House of Representatives Floor for a vote during the state’s crossover deadline. His bills required a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting and would have allowed Georgia professional sports franchises to hold licenses.

Wiedower’s legislation attempted to legalize Georgia online sports betting through a constitutional amendment, which has been the preferred legalization technique over the past two years. Voters would have decided its fate during the November 2026 election, with the state being able to launch in 2027 if ultimately approved.

The same legalization tactic can again be taken this year, but it will have to be done without Wiedower, who has long been the biggest proponent of legalized sports betting in the state. Wiedower announced in October he would resign from the House to focus on a career in real estate.

There are still lawmakers who remain in the state that support legalized sports betting, but none with the same fervor as Wiedower.

Verdict: Support still remains, but biggest proponent resigned from the House and leadership may now be lacking to get a bill across the finish line.

Alaska:  Rep. David Nelson (R-18) introduced HB 145 to the House of Representatives in March, which called for only the legalization of online sports betting in the 49th state. His bill allowed for up to 10 online sports betting operators to do business in Alaska.

Alaska currently has no casino gambling and has not been a major player in sports betting legislation before. This was the first bill introduced in several years to legalize online sports betting in the state.

While the bill eventually died in committee, it is eligible to again be considered in 2026.

Verdict: Sports betting support for first time in state’s history may provide necessary momentum in 2026.

Very Unlikely to Legalize in 2026

Mississippi: Efforts to expand Mississippi online sports betting started off strong and died a quiet death when the state’s legislative session came to an end in April. Mississippi online sports betting is legal, but it can only occur on casino property in which in-person sports betting is offered.

Rep. Casey Eure’s (R-116) bill,  HB 1302, which aimed to expand online sports betting throughout the state, passed through the Mississippi House of Representatives in February, but never received a Senate Gaming Committee hearing and died in March.

Efforts to legalize have largely been blocked by Sen. David Blount (D-29), chair of the Senate Committee on Gaming, a vocal opponent of legalized Mississippi online sports betting. He never called the House approved online sports betting bill to his committee this session, effectively blocking the legislation.

Fear of online sports betting cannibalization, and its effect on revenues for brick-and-mortar casinos in the state, led to stalled discussions.

Blount remains in office until 2028, so legalization odds are incredibly slim.

Verdict: Discussions will take place in 2026, but main Senate opponent will likely block all efforts for never several sessions.

Alabama: Another state that has had discussions for the last several years, but has not made a strong move towards legalization.

In 2025, Rep. Jeremy Gray (D-83) introduced HB 490, a bill to legalize sports betting and establish an Alabama Gaming Commission to regulate the new form of gaming. The bill included the establishment of the Alabama Gaming Commission, which would oversee the new form of gaming and issue sports betting licenses to operators, and a 10% sports betting tax rate.

The bill was remanded to the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee and never received a hearing.

Additionally, Sen. Greg Albritton (R-22) revealed a new sports betting plan in 2025 to legalize online sports betting, a state lottery, and allow for tribal casinos. He shopped the legislation throughout the Senate in April , but realized he was several votes short and never formally introduced the bill.

Discussions will again take place in 2026, but likely won’t go anywhere.

Verdict: Discussions will continue, but there is seemingly little momentum for legalization.

No Chance For 2026

South Carolina: One bill to legalize online sports betting was introduced in 2025. Rep. Chris Murphy (R-98) introduced H. 3625 to legalize online sports betting in January and the bill was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. It never received a vote and did not pass through the subcommittee process.

Murphy, one of the main proponents of legalized online sports betting in South Carolina, announced in August he would resign from the House effective Jan. 5, 2026. While 10 co-sponsors of the bill still remain in the House of Representatives, any chance the legislation had likely died with his Murphy’s resignation.

Verdict: Not going to happen in 2026

California: California Tribes continue to control the fate of the state’s online sports betting legalization. After a failed voter referendum in 2022, sports betting companies have backed off of efforts to legalize, vowing to aid the tribes when they believe the time is right for the state to legalize.

The state can hold ballot referendums during even years, so while California could potentially put the question to voters this year, most tribal gaming leaders have said 2028 will likely be the right time to get into the market.

It’s unlikely to happen in 2026, but 2028 may be the year California Tribes seriously consider legalizing online sports betting.

Verdict: Chances are better in 2028.

Texas: Texas follows a biennial legislative schedule, so it will not host a typical legislative session in 2026. Sports betting will not be legalized in the state next year, nor likely any other year as long as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) remains in office.

Two sports betting bills were introduced in the House earlier this year, but had minimal movement. Both measures required voter approval in the November 2025 general election if passed out of the House and Senate.

The Texas House of Representatives actually passed a sports betting bill in 2023, but it never was seriously considered by the Texas Senate, mainly due to Patrick. Patrick, who leads the Senate and is a vocal opponent of sports betting, has noted that he will not bring a bill to the floor for a vote unless it has the support of 15 or 16 Republican Senators. If only nine Republican Senators are in favor of a bill, he said, it becomes a “Democrat” led bill and will not be called to the floor for a vote.

Patrick’s term ends in 2026, but he has already announced a re-election bid and is the odds on favor to retain his seat.

Verdict: No legislative session, no legalization in 2026

Idaho: Idaho did not have any serious discussions regarding online sports betting in 2025, nor were any bills introduced to legalize the form of gaming.

There is little to suspect that this will change in 2026.

Verdict: Little to not interest for legalization.

Utah: Oh my, no. Utah has some of the strictest gambling rules in the entire country and currently bans all forms of gaming, including lotteries. No discussions took place in 2025 and no discussions will take place in 2026.

It ain’t happening, folks. Enjoy the natural scenery, because you won’t be gambling in Utah anytime soon.

Verdict: Nope.